KEY ATTRIBUTES OF BULLDOG CONFORMATION Top of head broad and flat Rose ear

Turn of shoulders

Deep chest Straight forelegs

Rear legs visible from front

Being more narrow in the rear, when the Bulldog is viewed from the front, the rear legs should be visible between the front legs.

Back-Roach (Arch over loins) Nose – broad and deep set between eyes Lower jaw undershot and turned up

Brisket and chest full and deep

Hocks – slightly bent and well let down

From the ground to elbow is approximately half the height of the Bulldog at the withers.

Proportion and Symmetry – Balance between all parts so that each feature bears good relationship with all other features. An Illustrated Guide to the Standard

This Pamphlet is provided by THE BULLDOG CLUB OF AMERICA EDUCATION COMMITTEE Illustrations by Betty Davey Revised 2018 BULLDOG HISTORY Authorities differ completely about the origin of the Bulldog. They even have differing opinions as to the spelling of the name. Be it Bondogge, Boldogge, Bandogge, the final spelling is Bulldog.

Whatever the name or the origin, there is little doubt that centuries ago there was a canine resembling our present day Bulldog. This Bulldog Visit the Bulldog Club of America online at was lighter boned and higher on leg, but with the courage, tenacity, and determination that still exists today. Over the years other breeds have crossed with the Bulldog to give these traits to their breeds, perhaps the bulldogclubofamerica.org best known being the Greyhound. for more information on:

After bull-baiting, bear-baiting and dog fighting were prohibited in England in 1835, a few dedicated fanciers worked diligently to breed • Breeder Referral out the aggressive, vicious tendencies and to modify the Bulldog to look more like we see him today, shorter faced and heavier in structure. • Education These breeders made it their job to preserve and protect the Bulldog. • Upcoming National Shows The modern Bulldog is gentle, intelligent, affectionate, strong and determined. The Bulldog was among the first of the breeds to be granted • History official recognition when the Kennel Club (England) was organized in 1873. • Judge’s Education • Gallery of Past National Winners The Bulldog Club of America was formed in 1890 utilizing the Eng- • The Bulldog Gait Video lish Standard. In 1896 a Standard was adopted by the Bulldog Club of America. It was revised in 1914 to declare the Dudley nose a disquali- • Membership fication. In 1976 the Dudley nose disqualification was redefined as a “brown or liver-colored nose”. The Standard was reformatted in 1990 with no changes in wording. In 2016 the Bulldog Club of America ap- proved, and the American Kennel Club adopted, a revision to the Stan- dard which includes disqualifications for eye color, coat color, markings and patterns as specified.

FORM FOLLOWS FUNCTION

The Bulldog, like all breeds bred to perform a specific task, is the result of intense selective breeding necessary to produce the conformational structure essential for the successful performance of its duties, in this case, the heinous “sport” of bull-baiting. Every point of conformation was selectively bred into the Bulldog to prevent it from injury as it went about the business of overcoming a bull.

The Bulldog’s most unique physical characteristic, the undershot jaw, held onto the bull with a vise-like grip. The “well laid back” nose facilitated the dog’s breathing. Forehead and face wrinkles directed the bull’s blood away from the dog’s nose and eyes. The Bulldog’s low-to-the-ground forefront challenged the bull’s frontal attacks while the shortness of hocks provided excellent stamina. The looseness of the skin of the Bulldog’s body often served as a deterrent to penetration of the bull’s horns. The physical structure of the Bulldog allowed him to perform his duties with remarkable efficiency. NOTES OFFICIAL STANDARD of the BULLDOG

The official Standard, as accepted by the Bulldog Club of America and approved by the American Kennel Club, is typeset in BOLD TYPE. The clarifications are set in ITALIC TYPE.

GENERAL APPEARANCE The perfect Bulldog must be of medium size and smooth coat; with heavy, thickset, low-swung body, massive short-faced head, wide shoulders and sturdy limbs. The general appearance and attitude should suggest great stability, vigor and strength.

Sound sturdy limbs and the suggestion of great stability, vigor and strength are as important to the present day’s Bulldog as they were to its ancestors.

The disposition should be equable and kind, resolute and courageous (not vicious or aggressive), and demeanor should be pacific and dignified. These attributes should be countenanced by the expression and behavior.

20 1 SIZE, PROPORTION, SYMMETRY SCREW TAIL – A naturally short tail twisted in more or less spiral formation. SIZE – The size for mature dogs is about 50 pounds; for mature bitches about 40 pounds. STIFLE – The joint of the hind leg between the thigh and the second thigh; the dog’s knee. PROPORTION – The circumference of the skull in front of the ears should measure at least the height of the dog at the shoulders. STOP – The step up from nose to skull. SYMMETRY – The “points” should be well distributed and bear STRAIGHT HOCKED – Lacking appreciable angulation at the hock good relation one to the other, no feature being in such prominence joints, straight behind. from either excess or lack of quality that the animal appears SWAYBACK – Concave curvature of the back line between the deformed or ill-proportioned. withers and the hipbones. Proportion and symmetry are of primary importance TURNUP – An uptilted foreface. when evaluating the overall dog and are allotted 5 points in the scale of points. TYPE – The characteristic qualities distinguishing a breed; the embodiment of a standards essentials. INFLUENCE OF SEX – In comparison of specimens of different sex, due allowance should be made in favor of the bitches, which UNDERSHOT – The front teeth (incisors) of the lower jaw do not bear the characteristics of the breed to the same degree of overlapping or projecting beyond the front teeth of the upper jaw perfection and grandeur as do the dogs. when the mouth is closed. WHEEL BACK – The back line arched markedly over the loin; roached. WRINKLE – Loose, folding skin on forehead and foreface. WRY FACE OR JAW – Out of alignment; twisted. Upper and lower jaws not parallel.

The bitch should have equal qualities, but an allowance shall be made for the femininity that is characteristic of the bitch. This femininity allows for less bone and fewer wrinkles.

HEAD EYES & EYELIDS – The eyes, seen from the front should be situated low down in the skull, as far from the ears as possible, and their corners should be in a straight line at right angles with the stop. They should be quite in front of the head, as wide apart as possible, provided their outer corners are within the outline of the cheeks when viewed from the front. They should be quite round in form, of moderate size, neither sunken nor bulging, and in color should be very dark. Blue or green eye(s) or parti-colored eye(s) are a disqualification. The lids should cover the white of the eyeball, when the dog is looking directly forward, and the lid should show no “haw.”

2 19 Dr. Edward M. Vardon was a well established bulldogger of the 1950’s. He owned the top bulldog which was also the top Non Sporting dog for several years.

DR. EDWARD M. VARDON’S GLOSSARY OF TERMS

ANGULATION – The angles formed by meeting of the bones, mainly, the shoulder, upper arm, stifle, and hock. BALANCED – A consistent whole, symmetrical; correctly proportioned head to body, height to length, etc. BARREL – Rounded rib section. A Bulldog’s eyes should be round, very dark and never blue, green or BONE – The relative size (girth) of a dog’s leg bones—substance. parti-colored, each of which is a disqualification. An imaginary horizontal line passing through the four corners of the eyes should be BRINDLE – A dog with an acceptable body colors usually with a at a right angle with the stop and rest just on top of the nose. superimposed pattern of black stripes. BRISKET – The forepart of the body below the chest, between the FAULTY EYES forelegs. BURR – The inside of the ear. BUTTERFLY NOSE – A parti-colored nose, i.e. dark, spotted with flesh color. CHEST – Forepart of the body between the shoulder blades and above the brisket. Slanted eyes Droopy eyes CHOPS – Jowls or pendulous flesh of the lips and jaw. COBBY – Short bodied; compact. COW HOCKED – When the hocks turn toward each other. CUSHION – Fullness or thickness of the upper lips. DOWN-FACED – Lacks turn-up. DOWN IN PASTERN – When weak or faulty pastern joints, tendons Almond eyes or muscles cause pronounced angulation at the pastern and let the foot down. EARS – The ears should be set high in the head, the front inner edge DUDLEY NOSE – Liver color or brown nose. Disqualification. of each ear joining the outline of the skull at the top back corner of skull, so as to place them as wide apart, and as high, and as far from ENTROPIAN – Inversion of the edge of the eyelid. the eyes as possible. In size they should be small and thin. The shape FLEWS – Upper lips pendulous, particularly at their inner corners. termed “rose ear” is the most desirable. The rose ear folds inward at its back lower edge, the upper front edge curving over, outward FOREFACE – The front part of the head, before the eyes...muzzle. and backward, showing part of the inside of the burr. (The ears FRONT – The forepart of the body as viewed head on; i.e. forelegs, should not be carried erect or prick-eared or buttoned and should chest, brisket and shoulder line. never be cropped.) FURROW – A slight indentation or median line down the center of the skull to the stop. LAYBACK – Receding nose accompanied by an undershot jaw. LIGHT EYES – Lighter than medium brown in bulldogs. MUZZLE – The head in front of the eyes-nasal bone, nostrils and jaw...foreface. Correct rose ears OCCIPUT – Upper, back point of skull. When viewed from the front, the top of the ears should be level with the ROACH BACK – A convex curvature of the back beginning back of top outline of the skull with the burr partially exposed and the entire the shoulders and rising to the loins, then down to the tail. front edge of the ear visible. Thick, heavy ears, folded over or button ears and flying ears are undesirable. ROSE EAR – A small drop ear which folds over and back so as to reveal the burr. 18 3 Scale of points General Properties Proportion & Symmetry ...... 5 Attitude ...... 3 Expression ...... 2 Gait ...... 3 Rose ear held back Size ...... 3 Coat ...... 2 EAR FAULTS Color of Coat ...... 4 22 Head Skull ...... 5 Cheeks ...... 2 Stop ...... 4 Eyes & Eyelids ...... 3 High set Fly away Ears ...... 5 Wrinkle ...... 5 Nose...... 6 Chops...... 2 Jaws ...... 5 Teeth ...... 2 39 Body, Legs, etc. Button Tulip or flying Neck ...... 3 Dewlap ...... 2 Shoulders ...... 5 Chest ...... 3 Ribs ...... 3 Brisket ...... 2 Belly ...... 2 Back...... 5 Prick Forelegs & elbows ...... 4 Hind legs ...... 3 Feet ...... 3 Tail ...... 4 39 SKULL – The skull should be very large, and in circumference, in Total 100 front of the ears, should measure at least the height of the dog at the shoulders. Viewed from the front, it should appear very high from Disqualification - Blue or Green eye(s) or parti-colored eye(s). the corner of the lower jaw to the apex of the skull, and also very Brown or liver-colored nose. Colors or markings not defined in the broad and square. Standard. The merle pattern.

Approved July 12, 2016 Effective August 31, 2016 The American Kennel Club, Inc.

Broad with good width Square between the ears

Viewed at the side, the head should appear very high, and very short from the point of the nose to occiput. The forehead should be flat (not rounded or domed), neither too prominent nor overhanging the face. 4 17 GAIT* The style and carriage are peculiar, his gait being a loose-jointed, shuffling, sidewise motion, giving the characteristic “roll.” The action must, however, be unrestrained, free and vigorous.

Good length of head, Good length of head, flat forehead, flat forehead, ears alert ears rosed back, relaxed When a straight edge is placed against the head in the furrow between the eyes, it should touch the tip of the lower lip, the tip of the The proper Bulldog, with short wide set front legs and longer nose, and the top of head. This is called the “layback” in Bulldogs narrow set rear legs, has a peculiar gait that results in a side to side and should be about a 42° to 45° angle. motion or “roll.” The Bulldog gaits with his front legs going straight forward from his wide shoulders. The rear legs swing in and out and HEAD FAULTS should hit the ground closer together than the front legs. The longer rear legs, hind feet turned out, create the shuffle of the bulldog. The roll can be observed by following the “sidewise” motion of the skin over the loin and the “sidewise” movement at the base of the tail.

*A Bulldog gait video, showing the peculiarities of gait, is available from the BCA Education Committee.

Incorrect layback (Shelf) Nosey

TEMPERAMENT The disposition should be equable and kind, resolute and courageous (not vicious or aggressive) and demeanor should be pacific and dignified. These attributes should be countenanced by the expression and behavior.

Dishfaced Short headed Lacking thrust of jaw

The Bulldog is a friendly, outgoing, companionable breed with an Downfaced – Nose below eyes Frog faced – Jaw too short, expression of kindness and dignity. Skull narrow at top – Ears close or too narrow together

Correct head Short headed 16 5 CHEEKS – The cheeks should be well rounded, protruding COAT & SKIN sideways and outward beyond the eyes. COAT – The coat should be straight, short, flat, close, of fine tex- ture, smooth and glossy (no fringe, feather or curl). STOP – The temples or frontal bones should be very well defined, broad, square and high, causing a hollow or groove between the SKIN – The skin should be soft and loose, especially at the head, eyes. This indentation, or stop, should be both broad and deep neck and shoulders. and extend up the middle of the forehead, dividing the head ver- tically, being traceable to the top of the skull. WRINKLES & DEWLAP – The head and face should be covered with heavy wrinkles, and at the throat, from jaw to chest, there should be two loose pendulous folds, forming the dewlap.

Stop History tells us the head wrinkles, along with the furrow and the stop, served at one time Cheek to divert blood from the eyes and nose. The wrinkle(s) over the nose can vary from a complete wrinkle to a split wrinkle. The nose wrinkle should not extend beyond the tip of the nose, obscure the vision in any way, or be too large or out of proportion. The indentation in the skull, called the “furrow,” extends from between the eyes to the top of the head. FACE & MUZZLE – The face, measured from the front of the cheekbone to the tip of the nose, should be extremely short, the COLOR OF COAT muzzle being very short, broad, turned upward and very deep The color of coat should be uniform, pure of its kind and brilliant. from the corner of the eye to the corner of the mouth. Colors are red, white, fawn, fallow, or any combination of the fore- going. Patterns and markings may include brindle, piebald, ticking, black masks, black tipping, and a minimal amount of solid black in piebalds. All other colors or markings are a disqualification. The merle pattern is a disqualification.

The standard does not list any specific disqualifying colors or mark- ings in the Bulldog. Instead, it indicates that any coat color other than red, white, fawn, fallow or any combination of these colors is a disqualification and any marking other than those listed as acceptable is also a disqualification. Brindle, piebald or ticking patterns are acceptable but the merle pattern is a disqualification.

Muzzle very full and turned upwards. The eyes Fawn coat colors can appear in many different shades, and all fawns should be as far from the ears as possible. are acceptable. The standard allows black masks, black tipping and a “minimal amount of solid black” in piebalds, but does not specify a NOSE – The nose should be large, broad and black, its tip set limit on the number or size of solid black patches. Solid black means back deeply between the eyes. The distance from bottom of stop, black without a trace of brindle. between the eyes, to the tip of the nose should be as short as pos- sible and not exceed the length from the tip of nose to the edge Bulldogs with disqualifying fault colors are increasingly common of underlip. The nostrils should be wide, large and black, with today, although rarely exhibited. It is imperative that the Bulldog a well-defined line between them. Any nose other than black is fancy be able to recognize the colors and markings which are objectionable and a brown or liver-colored nose shall disqualify. acceptable and those that are not.

Correct nose Incorrect nose tip set back perpendicular The front of the nose slants back, closely following contour of the head, and has large, open, black nostrils. Closed nares restrict breathing and are a serious fault. In the scale of points, the nose is allotted 6, more than any other feature. 6 15 HINDQUARTERS LIPS – The chops or “flews” should be thick, broad, pendant and LEGS – The hind legs should be strong and muscular and longer very deep, completely overhanging the lower jaw at each side. They than the forelegs, so as to elevate the loins above the shoulders. join the underlip in front and almost or quite cover the teeth, which Hocks should be slightly bent and well let down, so as to give length should be scarcely noticeable when the mouth is closed. and strength from the loins to hock. The lower leg should be short, straight and strong, with the stifles turned slightly outward and away from the body. The hocks are thereby made to approach each other, and the hind feet to turn outward.

PROPER HINDQUARTERS Chops or Flews Proper Head

FAULTY HINDQUARTERS BITE-JAWS – The jaws should be massive, very broad, square and “undershot”, the lower jaw projecting considerably in front of the upper jaw and turning up.

Pigeon toed Cow hocked Too wide

The correct jaw, so eagerly sought after in the fancy, has an upward sweep, retains the curve throughout, and resembles a rocking-chair rocker.

Straight hock Crooked hock

HIND FEET – The feet should be moderate in size, compact and firmly set. Toes compact, well split up, with high knuckles and short stubby nails. The hind feet should be pointed well outward.

Correct Incorrect The lower jaw should project considerably past the upper jaw. When viewed from the front, it should present a squared off and turned up look, creating an inverted U, rather than an inverted V. Correct width, projection and turn-up are all necessary to produce the desired lower jaw that sets the Bulldog apart from other breeds. In the scale of points for the Head, the jaws, along with the skull, ears and wrinkles, are each allotted 5 points. Only the nose is allotted more. 14 7 TEETH – The teeth should be large and strong, with the canine FAULTY FRONTS teeth or tusks wide apart, and the six small teeth in front, between the canines, in an even, level row.

Correct Incorrect

Narrow front with shoulders Chippendale or Fiddle-Front, too tight to the body and bones are curved forelegs too close

Cutaway ELBOWS – The elbows should be low and stand well out and loose (flews missing) from the body. shows the correct level FAULTY ELBOWS and parallel teeth.

The bottom teeth should be well in front of the top teeth and parallel. The undershot jaw is a unique and important characteristic of the Bulldog.

Overly loose elbows, Tight elbows feet may turn inwards

“Loose from the body” does NOT mean overly loose elbows. It means they should not be directed toward the ribs (tight elbows). Neither should they be directed excessively outward away from the ribs (overly loose elbows).

FRONT FEET – The feet should be moderate in size, compact and Wry jaw Wry face, nose and jaw firmly set. Toes compact, well split up, with high knuckles and very short stubby nails. The front feet may be straight or slightly out- Neither level nor parallel out of alignment, offset turned.

PROPER FOOT

High knuckles and toes compact

FAULTY FEET

Splayed Weak pastern 8 13 TAIL – The tail may be either straight or “screwed” (but never NECK, TOPLINE, BODY curved or curly), and in any case must be short, hung low, with decided downward carriage, thick root and fine tip. If straight, the NECK – The neck should be short, very thick, deep and strong and tail should be cylindrical and of uniform taper. If “screwed”, the well arched at the back. bends or kinks should be well defined, and they may be abrupt and even knotty, but no portion of the member should be elevated above the base or root.

PROPER TAILS

Neck short, but evident and well arched. Too short a neck gives an overall unbalanced appearance. Two types of tail are desired in the Standard, each is short, hung low, heading downward with thick root and fine tip. TOPLINE – There should be a slight fall in the back, close behind the shoulders (its lowest part), whence the spine should rise to the FAULTY TAILS loins (the top of which should be higher than the top of the shoulders), thence, curving again more suddenly to the tail, forming an arch (a very distinctive feature of the breed), termed “roach back” or, more correctly, “wheel-back.”

PROPER TOPLINE Gay High set L O I N S

Inverted Curly (Like a pig’s tail)

Following a slight dip behind the shoulders, the highest point of the If screwed, no part of the tail should be above the base or root. correct roach is over the loins, past the last rib.

FOREQUARTERS FAULTY TOPLINES SHOULDERS – The shoulders should be muscular, very heavy, widespread and slanting outward, giving stability and great power.

FORELEGS – The forelegs should be short, very stout, straight and muscular, set wide apart, with well developed calves, presenting a bowed outline, but the bones of the legs should not be curved or bandy, nor the feet brought too close together.

Straight backed Camel backed

Correct turn of shoulder with proper front legs will show straight perpendicular inner forelegs. In the scale of points under Body, the Swaybacked shoulders and back are each allotted the most points at 5. 12 9 BODY – The brisket and body should be very capacious, with full UNDERLINE – The body should be well ribbed up behind with the sides, well-rounded ribs and very deep from the shoulders down to belly tucked up and not rotund. its lowest part, where it joins the chest. It should be well let down between the shoulders and forelegs, giving the dog a broad, low, short-legged appearance.

CHEST – The chest should be very broad, deep and full.

Well tucked up behind the ribs. Ears are alert.

BACK & LOIN – The back should be short and strong, very broad at the shoulders and comparatively narrow at the loins.

Wide shoulders, barrel ribs and a narrow loin area give the Bulldog a “pear shape” when viewed from the top. A back of correct length creates a balanced appearance.

Brisket well let down between forelegs. Fullness of the brisket can be observed in front of the forelegs from the side view and is an indication of correct placement of shoulders. Ears are rosed back in a relaxed position.

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